Manenberg pensioner Shirley Woolgar, 73, owes the City of Cape Town more than R42 000 for her water bill, and faces the prospect of her water supply being cut.
Last Thursday Woolgar received a notice from the City informing her that she either had to pay the outstanding amount, or make payment arrangements.
But Woolgar said she cannot afford to because she does not have the money, and her high water bill might be from a water leak she cannot afford to fix.
But the City is adamant that she pay her bill or appoint a plumber to check and submit a report, and then the City will assess the report. If the City is at fault, it will determine how much of the arrears Woolgar needs to pay.
Yesterday the grandmother appointed a plumber, who charged her R900. The plumber determined that there was a leak on a pipe that leads to the water meter. “It makes me feel very bad to owe such an amount. I was sure the problem was with a leaking pipe. To pay R900 for the plumber has left me broke - this is killing me. I have two unemployed people I am taking care of from the R1500 pension grant,” she said.
Mayco member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services and Energy, Xanthea Limberg, said residents had been reminded that they were “financially responsible for water lost through leaks on private plumbing”.
“Negligence by homeowners results in significant water wastage. The client was also advised that she would be able to qualify for an underground leaks rebate on submission of a plumber’s certificate confirming an underground leak on her property,” she said.
Limberg added that Woolgar had applied for her meter to be tested, and the debt recovery had been suspended pending the results.